If the story is true that Yao is out 6 weeks, and with TMac's back uncertain, it's time for Bonzi to step it up and carry us until we can get our team back in healthy shape. We all know he has the talent, and he definately has the the motivation. I don't think an above 500 record over the next 6 weeks is out of the question if we can fire on all available cylinders. Lets go Rox!
Ha. Yeah right. Even if he did step up his game what team could Bonzi "carry" with his best players around him being the level of Battier and Head.
This read needs to be renamed, T-Mac: Time to step up and carry the team! It's his time to shine and show he can still lead a team and be in MVP talks. He claimed he didn't have to this season since he has the best center in the league with him, well now he doesn't for 6 weeks. Show me what you got.
Sorry, I just don't trust TMac's back for him to be 100% any time soon, and maybe never even be the player he was. Don't get me wrong- I really want him to be healthy, but I'm being realistic. Back problems are chronic. If he comes back and brings back his old-school game, then more power to him. But we can't count on the guy to carry the team at this point. It has to be someone else. The team was rounding into a Yao-led monster, and then Yao goes down. I just think that Bonzi is our best bet at this point. Even if Tmac comes back guns-a-blazing, we will need Bonzi to be his big-time contributing partner until we get the big guy back. We also need our other players to step up, namely Head, Billy and Battier. Hate me for it, but I'm switching into damage control mode. You have to face the facts- Yao is out, and TMac is an unknown.
Do you realize Bonzi is a career 13/5 player? Last season he was 14/8. Bonzi isn't capable of carrying this team and never has been in his entire career. Many here still are locked into his stats against the Spurs in the playoffs, which were a complete fluke. We are in for tough and dry times. Deke isn't up to playing many minutes. Therefore the Rockets will get smaller and Padgett, Novak, JL3 & V-Span will now get serious minutes. The rotation will be blown up and built from scratch. Forget the "Bonzi needs to carry the team" nonsense. He just isn't that good. The best he can be is a 3rd scorer.
This time, be ready to trade the lottery pick again. This team is going nowhere without Yao and T-Mac. Go for a high lottery pick is more realistic than dreaming about making the playoffs without Yao and T-Mac. This is bizarre. Da javu all over again this season. First T-Mac down with back injure, then Yao down with leg/knee injure. This team is indeed cursed. I am only glad I didn't purchase my league pass for this season.
Keep dreaming, Bonzi isn't 1st option material. Turning the ball over and airballs sure won't carry a YaoMacless Rockets all Scrub team
I don't know if you caught those playoff games last year, but Bonzi's showing wasn't just good stats-wise. He literally carried that team to wins, and hit big shot after big shot. I am not saying he can do it for a full season, but he showed that when he is at his peak and well motivated, he can carry a team for a stretch.
Sure, he can carry a team for a few games a season. But over the next 55 games, he will average 15/8 at best. He is NOT a 20 ppg scorer and never has been and realistic expectations need to be placed on him. If you've read my posts, I'm not a Bonzi fan at all. But if people start blasting him if he averages 13/7 and shoots 45% the rest of the season they are misguided. He is what he is and that's all that he is. Same for Shane.
Well with TMAC and Yao out - who else do you want to carry the team? Luther Head... Shane Battier... Rafer Alston.... yeah right. Like it or not... Bonzi Wells is the best offensive player we have right now...
What I'm saying is Bonzi CANNOT carry the team. He just isn't a good enough offensive player. He may become our first option on offense, but we won't be milking each possession just to get him the ball (as we do with Yao). Bonzi's 15 ppg (if he plays well) won't be enough. Others players must step up their production for us to win. If you ask me, Shane and Luther should be just as aggressive with shooting the ball. Bottom line: It's going to be offense by committee for a while. That's how it's going to have to work. With Yao and Tracy out, there are no volume shooters/scorers left on the team.
Oh god. I shudder to think how bad our offense is going to be without McGrady or Yao and with Alston seemingly having a greenlight.
Bonzi's strengths are his good post move, passing, and mid-range shooting. His major weakness is that he is short under basket. You can see in today's game that he couldn't shoot inside under Clipper's high front. We can not feed him the ball like we do to Yao. However, Bonzi get the speed as well as other young Rockets player. Rockets could play more like Suns does to give us the best chance to stay on track.
